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Belmont Shore candy shop Rocket Fizz closes up shop

After opening up shop in 2017 and taking over the former Powell’s Sweet Shoppe at 5282 E. Second St., candy and all-things-soda shop Rocket Fizz has closed.

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Just a few days shy of its second anniversary—it officially opened on April 12, 2017—owner and franchisee Suzanne Upppman worked alongside her son-in-law and store manager Scott Holzhauer. The store was known for its array of different sodas (Sweet Corn Soda and Chocolate Brownie included), salt water taffy, and seemingly timeless selection of candy—from oddities like Idaho Spuds and bacon gummies to your classic options like Big Hunks, Boston Baked Beans, and Butterfingers.

The pair remodeled the entire Powell’s space into a red-and-white, vintage-y vibe before opening what was Long Beach’s first and only location of the massive franchise chain, which has over 100 locations nationwide and all operated by franchisees.

While Holzhauer has yet to return comment for this story, Dede Rossi, executive director at Belmont Shore Business Association, said that the owners were “heartbroken” over the closure and that “it was not due to rent hikes.”

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Brian Addison has been a writer, editor, and photographer for more than a decade, covering everything from food and culture to transportation and housing. In 2015, he was named Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club and has since garnered 16 nominations and two additional wins for Best Political Commentary for his work at KCET and Best Blog for Longbeachize, a section of the Long Beach Post. Brian currently serves as a columnist and editor for the Long Beach Post.

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